The X-Men: Darkness Surrounding - Prologue

Author:  AeLonwyne

Disclaimer:  Rogue and the X-Men are the property of Marvel

  She hurried carefully through the darkness. Hearing the grasses part behind her, as her pursuers drew near. Rogue considered taking flight, but knew that it would be counter productive. She was the only x-man still free. Her companions were being held for reasons unknown. Their captor had seemed to want her most of all. However Rogue was not about to let that happen.

Old knowledge she had long ago absorbed from Wolverine, Psyloke and others began to surface. She decided that now would be as good a time as any to use it. She surged briefly forward, in the darkness, then dropped low. She could still see her pursuers, but they apparently no longer could see her. The men stopped, and looked around in confusion. Some of them started mumbling, then continued on, figuring she was still moving. Rogue laughed inwardly. 'An' they call themselves Ninjas.' Remaining low Rogue pressed forward. She used the sound of the wind and the passing of others to
disguise her movements.

A figure rose up in front of her, causing her to pause. 'Can he see me' she wondered to herself. "Hello Rogue." A voice hissed. Rogue stared hard at the figure blocking her path. His eyes bright yellow and glowing. His face pale though obviously a ruddy color in the moonlight. "Come Rogue." Rogue focused harder. 'Who is this guy'

Suddenly recognition flooded her, and scared her at the same moment. "NO. No. Noooo!" Rogue fled skyward, not caring that she was once more a target. She refused to let him use her again. Ever. Belasco appeared in her path a second time. "There is no escaping me." Purposely he immersed his blade in her chest.

"Aaaaaaggggghhhh!" Rogue bolted upright in her bed. The images of the nightmare still fresh in her mind. As she sat trembling uncontrolably at the dream, she struggled to keep from crying. "It felt so real." She muttered to herself. "Why on earth am Ah dreaming about this now?" She voiced aloud. Her past encounter with Belasco had been months ago. Nonetheless the dream and the memory combined scared her.

Tears slowly forced their way down her cheeks. Silently she cursed herself for letting herself be bothered by a dream. A knock reverberated on her door, but Rogue merely glanced at the door to make sure it was locked, then ignored it. The knocking came again. Still Rogue ignored the pounding of her friends. She should have known better though. With more than one good lock pick in the house they were sure to get in.

Rogue turned away placing her face in her pillow. She tried to calm herself, but to no avail. The next thing she knew, Ororo and Piotr entered. Ignoring their questions she continued to hide her face in her pillow. For what seemed a long time, no one said anything. Piotr and Ororo sat down on the edge her bed and on a chair, respectively. "What has you so
frightened my friend? What happened?" Storm asked. After a long pause, Rogue explained the dream, in detail to them.

As she finished, her tears started to fall harder. Storm was silently running the dream over in her mind trying to find meaning in it. Piotr pulled his terrified teammate close and held her as she cried. "It will be alright my friend." He said trying to comfort her. Inevitably she cried herself into a fitful sleep. "What do you think this means Ororo?" Piotr ask quietly over Rogue's head. Storm pursed her lips in thought. "I am not sure what this means, old friend." "You do not suppose that Belasco plans to use Rogue in another attempt to bring forth his Elder Gods do you?" Storm sighed. "By the goddess I hope not."


A man stared almost obsessively at a scrying pool hanging in mid-air. The image of a young woman, in a dark room, floated at the pools' center. Very little of the woman could be seen, save for an obvious white streak that swirled through her hair. The man did not need to see her to know what she looked like. He had been watching her for years, and her beauty was burned into his memory.

He would take her as his wife he promised himself. Even if it killed her. He laughed long and loud. It would be a small chore to bring her back, and would even make her easier to control. "Muhahahahaa! You soon will be mine, dear one." The man waved his hand past the surface of the scrying pool, and the image changed to mirror his own. The firelight reflected off his red eyes, the pupils were yellow, instead of black. All his teeth ended in sharp points, and his skin was a sickly green and yellow tint, obvious even in the near darkness.

He smiled to himself thinking of how glorious it would be to have his bride at last. After so many years of watching.   

To be continued...

* Note: the time mentioned where Belasco tries to use Rogue, is in the novel Soul Killer, by Richard Lee Byers.